The Twelve Days of Christmas
by Queen Beryl
Summary: It starts off when Hitomi meets a girl named Bdelle. Then they both receive a box bearing gifts; twelve gifts to be exact, one for every day until Christmas. Who's sending these beautiful items? A secret admirer, perhaps? Please review!
1. Day One

Title: 12 Days of Christmas  
  
By: Queen Beryl  
  
It's the Christmas season, so I decided to write a little Christmas thing for Escaflowne.  
  
This is my first time writing an Escaflowne fic, so don't kill me! XP I don't own Escaflowne. I only created this story and one of the characters, Bdelle. I hope you like  
  
it! Please RR!  
  
@---^---  
  
Chapter 1: Day One  
  
"Excuse me, I didn't see you there." Kanzaki Hitomi smiled, stepping back from the girl she had just bumped into.  
  
"Oh, that's fine. I wasn't aware of where I was headed either." The tall, black-haired, brown-eyed girl smiled. "I'm Aino Bdelle, by the way."  
  
"Kanzaki Hitomi... it's nice to meet you." Hitomi smiled again, her bright green eyes alight. "Hey, I was just going to meet my friend, you wanna join me?"  
  
"Really? May I?" Bdelle's eyes grew wide with excitement.  
  
"Sure!" Hitomi pulled her parka closer around her body and the two girls headed off to the local arcade where it would be a lot warmer than the icy December air. On the way Bdelle noticed something.  
  
"Hitomi?" She ventured hesitantly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why do you wear a dousing pendant around your neck?"  
  
"You know what this is?" Hitomi asked, surprised. They paused just outside of the arcade.  
  
"Yeah, my grandmother had one similar to that one. She gave it to me, but I left it behind."  
  
"Behind where?" Hitomi pulled her newfound friend forward into the warm arcade.  
  
"Oh," Bdelle blushed, "just... behind." Hitomi thought that Bdelle was being a bit mysterious, and she wanted to know where the pendant was left, but Yukari was already waving at her. The two girls slid into the booth from where Yukari had waved.  
  
"Yukari, this is Bdelle." Hitomi introduced. Bdelle bowed slightly and smiled warmly.  
  
"Hiya, Bdelle. It's nice to meet ya. Oh, Hitomi, you have to come see. It's amazing!" Yukari pulled on her friend's coat sleeve.  
  
"What now, Yukari-chan?" Hitomi rolled her eyes and smiled, knowing full well what was so "amazing."  
  
"Amano, of course!" Yukari exclaimed with enthusiasm. Hitomi rolled her eyes. Yukari _always_ did this. There simply was no escaping it. Ever since Yukari and Amano-senpai got together all she did was talk about him. Hitomi thought about how they got together and what the circumstances were. She remembered that it was about the same time she was figuring out her own feelings on the matter of love. Hitomi's heart was taken for good by Van Fanel of Fanelia. She wished desperately to see him again, but it had only been six months since she was with him last.  
  
"Hitomi?" Bdelle ventured hesitantly, bringing Hitomi out of her reverie.  
  
"Oh, yes?" Hitomi asked, smiling.  
  
"What are you thinking about?"  
  
"A very dear friend of mine." Hitomi replied a bit mysteriously. She laughed at Bdelle's confused look. "It's nothing. So, tell me about yourself. You don't pronounce Japanese as well as a native speaker."  
  
"But I'm pretty convincing, though, right?" Bdelle asked hopefully.  
  
"Actually, yes. I don't think that Yukari would notice... though sometimes Yukari doesn't notice too much when Amano's around."  
  
"Who's Amano?" Bdelle asked. Hitomi pointed to the boy Yukari was laughing with.  
  
"That's Yukari's boyfriend. Don't try to change the subject either. Where are you from?"  
  
"Oh yes, that's right. Sorry. I just moved from North America about three months ago. I was studying Japanese since I was young. My grandmother insisted I learn it, in case I ever ventured to Japan. Well, she couldn't have been more right." Bdelle laughed lightly.  
  
"North America, huh? You live there your whole life?" Hitomi ordered some green tea and set the napkins in front of her, spinning them on the table with her finger.  
  
"Well, no." Bdelle hesitated. She was afraid somebody would ask this question. Honesty was Bdelle's greatest virtue, and she was well known for it wherever she went. She wasn't about to slip now.  
  
"Oh, how mysterious." Hitomi laughed. "Are you going to tell me?"  
  
"Perhaps someday." Bdelle starred at the napkin.  
  
"I understand." Hitomi nodded. Bdelle fiddled with her scarf without looking up.  
  
"What about you, Hitomi?" Bdelle ventured when Hitomi's tea arrived.  
  
"Me? I've lived in Japan my whole life. I've gone traveling, of course, but I'm Japanese all the way." Hitomi said proudly.  
  
"Where have you been traveling to, if I may ask?" Bdelle prompted.  
  
"Oh, just... around." Hitomi smiled. Bdelle realized she was getting a taste of what she was doing and laughed. The two girls giggled for a few moments.  
  
"I can't wait until Christmas." Bdelle sighed suddenly. "How about you, Hitomi?"  
  
"Oh, I guess. I haven't really thought about it. What is it, twelve days until?"  
  
"Yes. I'm so excited. Every year I get twelve gifts. One for each day until the day of Christmas."  
  
"That's unusual, don't you think?" Hitomi finished off her tea and set the cup down. She glanced over at Yukari, who was laughing loudly at something Amano just said.  
  
"I dunno. What's really weird is I don't know who the gifts are from. There's nobody that they could be from that I can think of."  
  
"What do you mean? Don't you have family?" Hitomi asked delicately.  
  
"All I have left is Grandma, but I would know if it was her."  
  
"Well, perhaps it was a secret admirer. But, do you think, that now you've moved here this gift giver will still give the gifts?" Hitomi leaned forward.  
  
"I don't know. I really don't." Bdelle sounded a bit crestfallen. This fact hadn't occurred to her before.  
  
"Well, I hope you have a wonderful holiday no matter what happens." Hitomi nodded.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure that I will."  
  
Hitomi checked her watch and sighed. "I've gotta get home, it's almost six. I'll tell Yukari goodbye and if it isn't too much of a bother, I want you to come with me so I can get to know you better."  
  
"Really?" Bdelle lit up. Finally, after three months of living in Japan, she had a friend.  
  
"Sure, come on." Hitomi laid down some yen on the table to pay for her tea and slid over to Yukari for a moment. "Sayonara, Yukari!"  
  
"What, leaving so soon, Hitomi?" Yukari protested.  
  
"Afraid so. Mom wanted me home by six thirty, and I'll barely make it home as it is. Sayonara, Amano-senpai!"  
  
"Bai-bai!" Amano smiled pleasantly.  
  
"Bai Hitomi and... uh, Bdelle!" Yukari waved and bowed to Bdelle.  
  
"Sayonara, Yukari." Bdelle bowed and followed Hitomi out into the cold December air.  
  
"How far away do you live?" Kanzaki Hitomi asked, crunching a small patch of snow beneath her boots.  
  
"About a ten-minute walk from the arcade." Bdelle nodded to her left.  
  
"Well, I'll walk you home then, because I'm about fifteen minutes off in the same direction."  
  
"Sure." They walked, talking about family, school, and whatever came up about their respective pasts. Bdelle seemed a bit reluctant at first, but later opened up toward the end of the walk.  
  
"This is me." Bdelle stopped slowly and smiled, waving a hand toward her small house.  
  
"Wow, I was wondering who had moved in here." Hitomi surveyed the shingled roof and thin plaster walls. "I've never been inside it, though. I used to think it was haunted when I was younger."  
  
"You wanna see inside?" Bdelle asked, laughing at Hitomi's story.  
  
"Okay, but if a ghost comes out and gets me, you're gonna pay." The girls walked up the short, small path to the door and entered. They took off their shoes in the entryway, and Bdelle called to her grandmother.  
  
"Ah, you're home, my child. A package was brought here for you, today. I set it on the living room tab- Oh, I beg your pardon. I didn't realize Bdelle had brought a friend." The older woman entered the hallway, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She had stopped in mid-sentence seeing Hitomi.  
  
"Grandmother, this is Kanzaki Hitomi, my new friend." Bdelle introduced.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you, darling. You must excuse me, I'm making dinner and wasn't expecting company."  
  
"That's quite alright, Mrs...." Hitomi faltered.  
  
"Just call me Obaasan. I don't like formal names too much. Bdelle just calls me 'grandmother' to bug me." Bdelle's grandmother nodded. Hitomi and Bdelle laughed. "If you'll excuse me, I have to finish up the miso soup and rice."  
  
"Miso soup _again_, Grandma?" Bdelle raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You could just eat the rice, you know." The old, graying woman commented as she went back into the kitchen.  
  
"So you got a package?" Hitomi recalled.  
  
"Oh, yes, that's right." Bdelle went into the living room, closely followed by Hitomi.  
  
"To Miss Aino Bdelle..." Hitomi read then faltered. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she read on.  
  
"...and Miss Kanzaki Hitomi." Bdelle finished, equally shocked.  
  
"Who would know that we...?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Let's see what's inside." Bdelle tore open the box as quickly as she could. The cardboard was thrust open, throwing packing peanuts all over the carpet. The two girls laughed for a moment, then starred at the box. The contents were still concealed by the foam peanuts, and the anticipation was building drastically.  
  
"Here goes nothing." Bdelle grabbed a handful of peanuts and threw them on the table next to the square box that was roughly abou the size of a basketball.  
  
"There's a piece of paper." Hitomi snatched it up and opened it. She made a face, wrinkling her eyebrows. "That's not fair, it's written in English... I think."  
  
Bdelle stopped pulling out peanuts and looked at the letter. "It's definetly English. I'll read it aloud. 'Dear Bdelle and Hitomi:  
  
There are twelve days left until the day of Christmas arrives. I hope you enjoy today's gift. Tommorrow will bring another and so on until Christmas. Bdelle already knows about it, but this is new for you, Hitomi. We both decided that this is the year. We shall reveal ourselves; one of us for the first time, the other for the last. Hopefully. Happy holidays to you both. We'll see you on Christmas day.'  
  
And it isn't signed." Bdelle finished. "It never is."  
  
"But this time you'll find out who it is, right? And I... still don't know where I come into play in the whole matter."  
  
"Does something like this mean anything to you?" Bdelle asked, peering into the box. Hitomi followed her example and gasped.  
  
Bdelle picked up the small trinket just after Hitomi picked up hers. Bdelle mumbled quitely: "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me... a pendant just for me."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Like I said, it's my first Escaflowne fanfic, so I hope it's okay. Please tell me what you think of it, I love feedback. :D Thanks!  
  
Queen Beryl ^^; 


	2. Day Two

Title: 12 Days of Christmas  
  
By: Queen Beryl  
  
It's already a little after the Christmas season, but I've gotta finish something, right? I hope you like it! Please RR! Oh, and I realize what the reviewers were referring to. This is a different dousing pendant. It's nothing special or whatever, but I sorta made it like Hitomi got used to wearing her old one so she got another one. I hope that clarifies things for the readers. I'll also explain it in the first couple paragraphs.... Sorry to confuse you all! ^^;  
  
@---^---  
  
Chapter 2: Day Two  
  
Morning came quite too early for Bdelle. She had stayed up half the night thinking about Hitomi's reaction to the gift. Hitomi had sat there dumbfounded, her eyes wide. She fingered the pendant lovingly, as if it were a great treasure. When Bdelle asked about it's importance, Hitomi smiled as if remembering days gone by.  
  
"This was the original pendant. I gave it to someone very special when I left him." Hitomi had confirmed.  
  
"So that one around your neck is...?"  
  
"Just another one I bought a little while later. It made me feel better."  
  
"Oh, I see. Well, maybe... I mean, this pendant is the one _I_ left behind. I wonder what it could mean." Bdelle stated thoughtfully.  
  
"Where, exactly, did you leave it behind?" Hitomi asked with greath enthusiasm.  
  
"Just behind, okay?" Bdelle really didn't want to divulge the location.  
  
"Well, I've gotta go home anyway..." Hitmoi said after a long pause in conversation. She grasped the pendant, bowed, and left in a sort of daze.  
  
Bdelle rubbed her eyes, still not fully awake the next morning. She sat up slowly and looked around her as if she was missing something. She stood and put on her pendant.  
  
"I should see if Hitomi is doing okay after school." Bdelle decided as she stretched and got ready for school. All of Bdelle's classes seemed to drag on and on. She didn't learn anything that day, that's for sure. She ran home to set her book bag down, having already decided to go to the arcade to find Hitomi. She entered the house and-  
  
"Bdelle? Is that you dear?" Her grandmother called.  
  
"Yes," Bdelle replied, slipping off her shoes and dragging her bag toward her room.  
  
"There's someone here to see you, dear." Bdelle stopped short. Leaving her bag in the hallway she walked into the living room, hoping to find Hitomi. Instead, a young man of about her age, sixteen, stood by a table. He turned as Bdelle walked in. His deep maroon eyes were the first thing that Bdelle noticed. He was quite handsome, really, his black hair was long, which only made him more mysterious. He smiled hesitantly.  
  
"May I help you?" Bdelle inquired politely. She wondered who he was and why he was here.  
  
"I've come to deliver a package." He replied, his voice deep and soothing. Bdelle's face fell.  
  
"Oh, well, thank you."  
  
"Here you go." He handed her a large brown box with no labels or anything on it. Bdelle accepted it and looked over it.  
  
"There isn't any address labels or anything."  
  
"I know. Do me a favor, okay? If you see Hitomi today, don't tell her I was here." The mysterious stranger smiled.  
  
"H-Hitomi?" Bdelle thought for a moment. "Who are you?" The boy hesitated slightly.  
  
"A friend." He nodded and walked past her toward the door and left. Bdelle stood there, unmarked package in hand, her head spinning.  
  
"What was _that_ about?" She asked herself aloud. Something strange was going on, but Bdelle didn't know what. That fact made her even more confused. She sat there, dazed for a moment, when there was a knock at the front door.  
  
"Could you get that, dear? I'm covered in cooking."  
  
"Coming!" Bdelle stood up slowly and went to the door. Hitomi stood there, all bundled up. "Hitomi!"  
  
"Bdelle," Hitomi nodded and stepped inside.  
  
"There's another package." Bdelle stated when Hitomi had taken off her shoes and scarf. "I think that this year it's something different. I'm not all too excited about receiving the gifts this year."  
  
"Maybe because we're both getting them and it's odd." Hitomi offered.  
  
"Yeah... sure. That's probably it." Bdelle said noncommittally. "The gift is in here. I haven't opened it yet."  
  
"Great, so we'll both be surprised at the same time and try to figure out who it's from." Hitomi stated half-sarcastically. They entered the living room, and Hitomi started to open the box. Luckily for Bdelle, she hadn't noticed that there were no mailing labels. That got the awkward questions out of the way... for now. Hitomi sat back when she was done ripping open the box. It was again filled with the packing peanuts. Bdelle briefly wondered why they were inside when that unknown boy handed the package to her.  
  
"Well, do you want to finish or shall I?" Hitomi asked, clearly hesitating with anticipation.  
  
"I'll do it. We'll start alternating, okay? You got the first day, I get today, you get tomorrow, and so on. Sound okay?" Bdelle smiled.  
  
"Sure. Hurry, I wanna see what i-"  
  
"Ah, Hitomi, you're back. Are you two girls having a good time?" Bdelle's grandmother entered the living room though a small door that joined the kitchen to it. The older woman's brown eyes sparkled, as if she knew something that neither of them did. Bdelle noticed this and was about to comment on it, but Hitomi spoke.  
  
"Yes, thank you, Obaasan." Hitomi smiled. "How are you?"  
  
"Old, but that's expected, isn't it?" Obaasan laughed and nodded. "Well, I'll leave you two to... do whatever you were doing before I bothered you."  
  
"You're no bother, Obaasan, and you know it." Bdelle laughed.  
  
"That makes me feel better." The aged woman replied as she walked back into the kitchen. Hitomi opened her mouth to say something when Bdelle's grandmother walked back into the room.  
  
"I almost forgot," she smiled, "would you like to stay for dinner, Hitomi?"  
  
"I'll have to ask my mom, but I'd love to."  
  
"Good, good. It's been a while since we've had company, eh, Bdelle?" The older woman winked. Bdelle froze and nodded stiffly as her grandmother left for the second time.  
  
"Well, let's open it before anything else happens." Hitomi said the moment the third party was gone. Bdelle reached for the box when there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Now what?" Bdelle turned irritably away from the gift. Hitomi sighed.  
  
"Get that for me, Bdelle?" Her grandmother called from the other room.  
  
"Yes." Bdelle replied and both she and Hitomi got up to see who it was.  
  
"May I help you?" Bdelle asked, opening the door.  
  
"We lost our frisbee on your roof." The little boy replied timidly.  
  
"Come in, and I'll get it for you." Bdelle smiled and let the little boy in. She ran upstairs and opened the balcony window. She climbed up the thin ladder that was attached to the side of the house and pulled herself up onto the roof. She quickly found the frisbee and got back down as fast as she could. Hitomi was talking to the little boy when she walked back in.  
  
"... don't know. It should be coming out right after Christmas." Hitomi replied.  
  
"Okay, I'll check- oh, thank you." The boy grabbed his frisbee, bowed, and ran out the door.  
  
"You're welcome." Bdelle said to the empty doorway. She shut the door, completely frozen because she forgot to put shoes or anything warm on when she climbed on the roof.  
  
"Maybe we should start a fire or something?" Hitomi asked, nodding at Bdelle's bright pink feet and hands.  
  
"I'll just put socks on." Hitomi ran to her room, tripping over her bag that was still in the hallway, and put on some wool socks that she never wore unless it was _really_ cold. She raced back into the living room, tripping on the bag again, and knelt next to Hitomi.  
  
"Now we'll open it. And I don't care if all the frisbees in the world get stuck on your roof, we're opening it now." Hitomi leaned forward as Bdelle grabbed handfulls of packing peanuts. She picked up the gifts and handed one to Hitomi.  
  
"I don't understand, exactly." Bdelle stated, turning the little rectangular box in her hand. "Why would you get tarot cards?"  
  
"Why would _you_?" Hitomi countered, rubbing her thumb over the deck. "I used to do tarot card readings for a lot of my friends. I stopped after I got back- I mean, I just stopped."  
  
"Well, believe it or not, before I moved to America I used to do readings as well. I stopped when I moved there because... well, I just did."  
  
"It seems we're both being too mysterious to help at all. Okay, so we both stopped tarot readings. Why would we get cards now?" Hitomi pondered.  
  
"I don't know. I'm just as confused as you are." Bdelle thought about that boy that showed up out of the blue and wondered how he was in relation with Hitomi. Was it her brother? Was he really just a friend? Maybe he was her cousin or something. Bdelle wanted to ask Hitomi desperately, but decided she should obey the stranger's wishes. Perhaps he had a really good reason not to be known to Hitomi. Maybe he was one of the players in this twelve days of Christmas game that was going on. Maybe-  
  
"Bdelle, Hitomi!" Obaasan called, peering into the room. "Dinne- what is this mess?"  
  
"Packing peanuts," Hitomi and Bdelle said together. Obaasan raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, they don't belong all over my floor," she hinted.  
  
"We'll clean it up, Grandmother." Bdelle smiled.  
  
"Oh, you. You two can clean it up after dinner. Come and eat."  
  
"On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, one deck of cards just for me." Bdelle sand under her breath as she and Hitomi went to eat dinner of rice, onion soup, and chicken.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Thanks to The lady winged Knight. S and Angel Of Kage for the review and attention to detail! ^_^ 


	3. Day Three

Title: 12 Days of Christmas  
  
By: Queen Beryl  
  
It's already a little after the Christmas season, but I've gotta finish something, right? I hope you like it! Please Review!  
  
@---^---  
  
Chapter 3: Day Three  
  
Bdelle picked up the peanuts after Hitomi left. It was starting to get dark outside, and Bdelle thought about the meeting with the handsome stranger. Who was he? That question ended up giving her a headache. She'd find out sooner or later, right? No sense in losing sleep over it now.  
  
But Bdelle couldn't help it. She thought about it all night. She even dreamt about the guy wearing a mask and cape and running around saying "don't tell Hitomi." She woke up confused and wanting to laugh. Finally, at 6:30 in the morning, her alarm clock woke her up for good. She had woken up several times before that, tossed and turned, and didn't feel good at all. She thought about staying home from school, but decided against it. Obaasan wouldn't like it too much. Not getting enough sleep was Bdelle's own fault. She sat up and decided to shower to fully wake her up. She had taken one last night, but she needed something to get her up, and she didn't drink coffee or a lot of tea. Even after three months she wasn't used to waking up with a cup of tea.  
  
She finished her shower, dried her hair, dressed, and put on the pendant. She had taken more time than usual, so she was running late. She rushed out the door, saying "I'm going," as she did.  
  
"Come back soon!" Obaasan called after her as she left.  
  
Bdelle ran only to the fifth house away before the tiredness and the cold caught up with her. She breathed in deeply and started walking briskly. She turned into the schoolyard, never noticing the pair of eyes that watched her the whole way.  
  
"Miss Aino." The teacher called.  
  
"Present." Bdelle said in a sleepy daze. The class laughed.  
  
"Yes, we've already established that, Miss Aino." The older man raised an eyebrow over his glasses. "I want to know how you finish this equation."  
  
Bdelle blushed, realizing her mistake. She looked up at the board. The letters and numbers were slightly blurred, and she had no idea what they meant. "I don't know, Sir."  
  
"Mr. Yoshino?" The teacher turned away with a frown on his face.  
  
"Yes, Sir. X plus the square root of-" Bdelle stopped listening and put her head back down on her arms. She was too tired to think, too tired to do anything, too tired to- A piece of paper landed on her desk. Bdelle starred blankly at it for a moment before sitting up and pulling the paper off her desk and into her lap. She unfolded it and sighed. It was in Japanese kanji. She needed to brush up on reading this, so she wasn't sure how clearly she could interpret the message. She squinted at the intricate lines as if narrowing her eyes would turn them into English.  
  
"We... need to... talk... Ryo-kun." Bdelle translated after some difficulty. She peered over at the boy that sat three seats away to her right and two ahead. He appeared to be paying complete attention to the instructor, until he turned his head a bit and smiled at Bdelle. Bdelle looked back at the note and tried to remember how to write kanji. She failed and hoped he could still read what she was writing, even if it was using letters instead of characters.  
  
"Ryo-kun: Where?" She sent the letter sailing over everyone's heads the moment the teacher turned his back to the class. He scribbled something down on the same paper and waited until the instructor turned to the board to write something. When Bdelle tore open the note, she was relieved to find it not in kanji, but letters as well.  
  
"During lunch just outside 1-D." Bdelle looked up and nodded when she caught Ryo-kun's attention. She wished for the class to end quickly. She loved and hated the anticipation that built itself up while waiting. Even though it probably wasn't anything important, like he probably wanted to know something he missed, but the wait still killed Bdelle. Finally, the bell rang and everyone started talking at once. Bdelle pushed her way past the people into the hallway. She was quickly shoved to the side by some upperclassmen and hit the wall. She looked hard at them, but they didn't even seem to notice anything was amiss. She shifted her messenger bag from one shoulder to the other and went on along down the hallway. She turned the corner and walked all the way down to 1-D. Nobody was there. Bdelle leaned against the wall and waited patiently. Finally, after a few minutes, Ryo-kun rounded the corner and was coming toward her.  
  
Bdelle could see his tall, lanky frame weave in and out of the small groups that were heading over to the cafeteria. His hair always reminded Bdelle of a black form of Yuki-kun's from an anime she always watched called "Fruits Basket." It was longer in front and short in back. His dark brown eyes were definitely different from Yuki-kun's, but Bdelle just always thought they looked oddly similar. She shook her head as he walked up.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked when he arrived.  
  
"Oh, uh... nothing. I just had... there was a fly." Bdelle stuttered. "What is it that you wanted?"  
  
"You're pretty straightforward." Ryo laughed.  
  
"I've been told as much." Bdelle nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well, then I won't keep you waiting. There are two things, actually. I need the notes from Thursday on the structures of English paragraphs, and I was hoping you could, you know... help me with them."  
  
"Sure, no problem." Bdelle pulled the notes out from her bag after much searching. She handed them over to Ryo-kun and started to walk away.  
  
"I wasn't finished."  
  
"Ah, sorry. I thought those were the two things." Bdelle blushed, waving her hand in a dismissive manner, and walked back to Ryo.  
  
"Here's a letter." He smiled and walked off.  
  
"A... what?" Bdelle stood there, starring after him with a letter in her hand. She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of the daze, and opened the letter.  
  
"Oh, what pretty stationary!" She exclaimed, then felt really stupid afterward, started walking toward the cafeteria while reading the letter. "Dear Bdelle-kun:  
  
There was a young man who came to me earlier asking me about you. I've never really taken the chance to get to know you well, so I couldn't tell him much. He told me not to tell you he asked about you, but I figured that if I _wrote_ you it wouldn't be the same thing. My curiosity got the better of me. Who is that guy? You can tell me when you help me on my English, like I know you will. Meet me after school today at the same place we met earlier, okay? Ja! Ryo-kun." Bdelle just finished reading the letter when she ran into an open door. She fell backward, the letter flying from her hand, and hit the ground with a thud. Some people around her laughed and others said rude things about the "Yankee." Bdelle blushed and tried to ignore them. She looked around for the letter but couldn't find it. She picked herself up and went straight to class, forgetting about lunch all together.  
  
Bdelle raced home after school, still pretty much in a daze. She had just finished talking to Ryo-kun, and he said that he'd come over tomorrow so she could help him. She nodded and rushed from the school. She threw off her shoes as she entered her house and said "I just got back!" She went to her room and fell on her bed, too exhausted, confused, and otherwise tired to even think.  
  
"Bdelle?" A small knock awoke Bdelle. She looked over at her clock and saw that it was already 7:30. She had been asleep for so long!  
  
"Yes Grandma?" Bdelle asked groggily.  
  
"Hitomi is here to see you, dear." Obaasan creaked open the door and let Hitomi inside.  
  
"Thank you." Hitomi smiled as Obaasan left the room. "You okay, Bdelle?"  
  
"I think so." Bdelle sat up. Hitomi sat down on the bed, a box in hand. Bdelle didn't even notice that there were no address labels. Hitomi sat there for a moment.  
  
"I got this at my house a little while ago. You wanna open it?"  
  
"I think it's your turn. Even if it isn't, you can...." Bdelle rubbed the sleep from her eyes and waited for her head to stop spinning.  
  
"Sure." Hitomi ripped open the package. This time there were no packing peanuts. There were two Styrofoam boxes next to each other. Hitomi handed one to Bdelle and took one for herself. They both took the box apart and discovered a porcelain dragon. Hitomi and Bdelle both gasped, as a small realization flashed across their faces. Could it be? Either somebody was playing a terrible trick or it was _him_! But, how would he know? It just didn't make any sense.  
  
"On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..." Bdelle started.  
  
"A porcelain dragon just for me." Hitomi finished, seeing her friend wasn't feeling well at all.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Okay, this chapter was... well, weird, I suppose. Tell me what you think! ^_^ 


	4. Day Four

Title: 12 Days of Christmas   
By: Queen Beryl   
@---^---   
    **Okay, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out... I just had major writer's block... heh. Um, please review and tell me what you think!**

Chapter 4: Day Four 

    Bdelle leaned over the toilet, feeling her stomach drop suddenly. She sat there, breathing in the horrid smell of wet porcelain. Hitomi rubbed her back soothingly.   
    "I can't believe it could be him..." Bdelle mumbled, suddenly feeling dizzy.   
    "Are you okay, Bdelle? You sound awful." Hitomi reached over and felt her friend's forehead. "Oh, you're burning up!"   
    Bdelle sat back and put the toilet seat back down. She looked very pale. Hitomi helped her companion up and into bed.   
    "You go to sleep right now, and we'll get everything figured out tomorrow, okay? I'll come over after school to see what's up, all right?" Hitomi smiled warmly as she tucked her friend into bed.   
    Bdelle nodded feebly. She wasn't feeling like doing anything... just lying there.   
    "I'll see you around, Bdelle!" Hitomi called as she left. Obaasan came upstairs a few minutes later.   
    "Are you feeling well, honey?" She asked, sitting down on the edge of Bdelle's bed. Bdelle was already half in the dream world and only shook her head. "Perhaps you'll have to miss school tomorrow...."   
    _How can it be? After all this time... he wouldn't possibly come for me, would he? Could he be the one sending me all this... these gifts through the years?_ Bdelle asked herself as she finally let go of the conscious world.   
& * &   
    "Hey, Bdelle, you don't look so hot. You still feeling bad?" Hitomi asked the next day. Bdelle was sitting on the floor of her bedroom just staring at the opposite wall. Hitomi raised an eyebrow. _She's definitely taking this way too seriously._ "I know what you need."   
    "What?" Bdelle mumbled.   
    "A day off. I'm taking you to the hot springs... and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Hitomi ran over, grabbed her friend, pulled her up, and rushed out of the door, calling to Obaasan saying where they were going.   
    "You have a good time, dears!" Obaasan called out as they left. She went back to her cooking as she heard the car start and drive away. She smiled to herself. "Bdelle works so hard... she needs time off."   
    "Excuse me?" Was heard from the entryway. The old woman went to the door to see who it was.   
    "May I help you?" She asked kindly.   
    "I'm sorry, the door was open, so I let myself in. I'm looking for Bdelle." A handsome young man with dark hair smiled.   
    "I'm afraid you just missed her. She's gone to the hot springs with her friend. If you would give me your name, I could tell her you came by...?" Obaasan offered.   
    "You needn't bother. I'll just meet her at the hot springs. But, if by some mishap I don't get the chance to speak with her, tell her Van Fanel stopped by."   
& * &   
    "Now, isn't this relaxing?" Hitomi purred, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.   
    "I'm feeling ten times better already. Thank you so much, Hitomi. You're the greatest friend."   
    "You're only saying that because I paid for you." Hitomi joked, adjusting the cloth on her head.   
    "What else did you think?" Bdelle played along. "What, that you were a good person? Never!"   
    Both girls looked at each other and busted out in laughter. A few other women turned and glared at them. The laughter diminished to hushed giggles.   
    "Hey, Bdelle?" Hitomi asked casually.   
    "Hmm?" Bdelle ran her hands on top of the water.   
    "Remember when we first met... and we were walking to the arcade?"   
    "How could I forget? I gained a friend!"   
    "Well, remember you made a comment on my amulet... and how you had one but you left it behind?" Hitomi adjusted the cloth again.   
    "Yeah?" Bdelle didn't like where this conversation was going... not at all.   
    "Where did you leave it? I want to know the truth."   
    Bdelle looked up at the mid-afternoon sky. It was mostly clear, crystal blue and very cold. Up until this moment, Bdelle almost forgot it was even winter. She could see snow on the distant mountains. _If I could only escape there now..._ Bdelle wished, sighing.   
    "I left it... oh, you won't believe me."   
    "Tell me and then I'll tell you whether I believe you or not."   
    "A different planet. A place called Gaea." Bdelle admitted, glancing at her friend. She was surprised to see Hitomi sitting there, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.   
    "Y-you went to _Gaea_?"   
    "You believe me?" Bdelle asked hopefully.   
    "I was there!"   
    "Don't." Bdelle's shoulders slumped, all hope fading from her dark eyes. "Don't pretend."   
    This completely caught Hitomi off guard. "What?"   
    "This has happened before. I told one of my friends I went to another place called Gaea, and she said she had too. I was so thrilled, then she messed up my life by telling the rest of the student body I was insane and wanted to become an alien. I told her all my secrets... all my experiences of Gaea... and she laughed in my face in the end. It... it just wasn't fair. Please, I beg of you... don't pretend that you've been to Gaea, or that you know what I'm talking about. It is a horrible thing to do."   
    Hitomi reached over and hugged her friend. "Let's go back and change, and we'll talk about it, okay?"   
    "Fine." Bdelle said shortly. They went back to the room and changed into comfortable kimonos and sat down to eat.   
    "I just want you to know, Bdelle... I've seen the Mystic Moon from Gaea." Hitomi said after a silence. Bdelle looked up at her, her chopsticks poised in midair.   
    "Wha-"   
    "Let me finish. I've seen the fields... the mountains... Fanelia, Asturia. I've met people that have changed my life. I've been in battles to save the entire planet from destruction by Zaibach. I have been to Gaea. I left my original pendant there... as well as my heart." Hitomi smiled at the memory of her and Van... their last moments together next to Escaflowne.... Oh, what peace and happiness those memories brought... as well as the pain of knowing she had to leave the only man she'd ever love.   
    Bdelle sat there for a moment, gazing intently at Hitomi. Could she believe what this girl was saying? Of course! She even described Gaea and the reference to the Mystic Moon! It _had_ to be the truth! Bdelle did the only thing she knew she had to.   
    She burst into tears.   
    "Ah! D-don't cry, Bdelle!"   
    "Hitomi! You don't know... how happy... I am. I mean, to know... that there is someone else out there... a friend, nonetheless, who actually... went to Gaea! I never thought... I never dreamt of such a luxury!" Bdelle proclaimed between racking sobs. Hitomi smiled at her friend.   
    "I never thought anyone else had every been to Gaea. Imagine my surprise when you said you left your amulet in Gaea! I thought I was dreaming."   
    "I'm so glad there's someone who understands." Bdelle stopped crying and started sniffling and rubbing her wet cheeks. "You said... you left your heart in Gaea. Can... you talk about it?"   
    "With you I can." Hitomi took a deep breath. "I met Van Fanel; he's the prince of Fanelia. We didn't exactly get along in the beginning, but in my heart I always knew he was different. I knew he was someone special. We ended up falling in love with each other. Unfortunately... when all was said and done... we didn't live happily ever after. I came back here because... I just felt that I had to. There was something here that I needed to do... but I'm still not sure what it is. Well, needless to say, I came back... and he stayed in Gaea to rebuild the demolished Fanelia."   
    And with that, Bdelle burst into tears again.   
    "Waah! Don't cry! What's the matter?" Hitomi dropped her chopsticks in fright.   
    "That is the most... heart-wrenching... romantic true story I have ever... heard!" Bdelle wailed between sobs. Salt tears streamed down her face. Hitomi sighed.   
    "It isn't as bad as all that, now. I gave Van my pendant and I can see him whenever he comes. He can whenever, and he knows it. He looks so cute with the pendant on, too." Hitomi smiled, running a hand through her short hair.   
    "Yes, but-" Bdelle was interrupted by a sudden knocking at the door that made both girls jump. "I'll get it."   
    Bdelle opened the door and discovered nobody there. When she looked down she beheld a package; she picked it up and brought it inside, closing the door behind her. She realized the box looked like all the other boxes she had received in the past three days. The box was indeed addressed to her and Hitomi.   
    "The fourth gift of Christmas." Bdelle stated.   
    "Really? _Here?_ Hurry, bring it over so we can open it. Whose turn is it?" Hitomi asked excitedly.   
    "Aww, who cares!" Bdelle sat down and opened up the box as Hitomi scrambled over. They pulled out the large amount of tissue paper... only to find the box completely empty.   
    "Oh, that was cruel."   
    "Where's the gift?" Bdelle demanded greedily.   
    "Maybe our 'secret admirers' forgot to put it in?" Hitomi offered. "Oh, wouldn't that be hilariously tragic?"   
    "Isn't that an oxymoron?" Bdelle raised an eyebrow, still looking for the gift within all the tissue paper that was scattered all over the floor.   
    "That doesn't matter.... Hey. Stop looking! There isn't a gift." Hitomi laughed. There was another knock at the door and what sounded like a thud. Bdelle and Hitomi looked at each other for a moment before bolting up and racing one another to the door. They yanked open the door and looked around, but there was no one in sight.   
    "Dang... we missed them." Bdelle muttered as Hitomi picked up the box and turned around. Bdelle followed her, so intrigued by the box she forgot to close the door.   
    "What can it be... what can it be...?" Hitomi sung, ripping off the packing tape. "Oh, that reminds me. You never told me... what happened with you on Gaea?"   
    Bdelle fell on her face from her kneeling position. She was so intent on seeing the package that she didn't expect a question.   
    "Oh, you know..."   
    "Know what?"   
    "Huh?"   
    "Don't tell me you're one of those people that never finish their sentences!" Hitomi leaned both hands on the brown gift and peered at Bdelle.   
    "Can't I see the gift first?" Bdelle pleaded, eyes staring at the object under Hitomi's hands.   
    "Tell me first and _then_ you can see the present!" Hitomi shoved the box behind her back. Bdelle sighed in defeat.   
    "I went to Gaea and-"   
    "How?"   
    "How? Uh... actually, I was walking outside during a thunderstorm... and lightning struck so close... I actually thought I got hit at first. Then out of nowhere this angel appeared."   
    "Angel?!" Hitomi scooted forward even more. "Did he have black hair and maroon eyes?!"   
    "No. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Why?" Bdelle asked, then she suddenly recalled the gentleman that had visited her earlier. _She's describing him! The boy that came over to my house a couple of days ago! He must be from Gaea!_   
    "Oh, I was just wondering... anyway, go on." Hitomi waved her on hurriedly.   
    "Anyway, I sorta fainted and when I woke up, I was in a nice warm room. He was sitting by my side telling me everything would be alright. I stayed for a while in Gaea, but they were having problems with a rebel group. My guardian angel didn't want me near the battles so he planned on sending me to Asturia. When it came down to it, though, I told him I didn't want him to leave. I gave him my pendant so he wouldn't forget me... and I hoped it would bring him good luck and fortune. Just after he accepted it, I fainted and woke up back on Earth. I was on the floor just outside my house, soaking wet from the rain."   
    "Now _that_ is tragic, Bdelle."   
    "I guess... now let's open the package!" Hitomi sweat dropped. How easily Bdelle was sidetracked....   
    The girls pulled the box back around and proceeded to open it. Inside was something neither of them expected in the least.   
    "On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."   
    "...a statue of an angel just for me." 

**WHEW! This was the first time I've ever finished an entire chapter in just one sitting. Ah! I need a break! I hope you like it; please review! And thanks to my reviewers (Hitomi luvr and Van's girl)!**


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